Diplomacy

Modi mantra for India-China ties: Cooperate and Compete, while keeping border peaceful

- by India Writes Network

Cooperation and competition are inextricably woven into the fabric of India-China relations. Ahead of his maiden multi-city tour of China, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a long-range view, saying India cooperates with China on the global stage, but at the same time the two countries also compete in the economic arena.

In an interview with TIME magazine, Mr Modi also underscored that the two Asian giants have “learnt from history” and have managed to maintain peace and tranquillity on their disputed border.
Mr Modi’s three-day visit to China, starting May 14, will be keenly watched not just in the two countries, but also in the region and the world. All issues will be on the table, but the prime ministerial agenda will be primarily economic and will focus on getting Chinese finance and expertise to boost the Make in India project and to bolster the manufacturing base in India. During Xi Jinping’s visit to India in September last year, China pledged to plough in $20 billion investments over the next five years, but only around $1 billion have trickled in so far. Mr Modi will, therefore, be pitching for fast-tracking Chinese investments into India.

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Five Takeaways Modi should target in China

- by Srikanth Kondapalli

Many Indian prime ministers have visited abroad in pursuit of national interests, although such visits to China were few and far in between, with five PMs visiting Beijing six times in as many decades. Some of these visits – by Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi and Vajpayee – have been described as “breakthroughs” for recognising Tibet and Taiwan as a part of China, with no reciprocal Chinese statement that Kashmir or Arunachal Pradesh are a part of India.

With PM Modi planning to make a trip to China from May 14-16, the first time an Indian prime minister will be visiting Beijing in the first year of his first term, it is natural – as PM Modi told his Chinese interlocutors – to expect “concrete outcomes” during the visit. For this visit to be successful, India needs to seek several clarifications and positive approvals from China on a host of issues in the realm of bilateral relations and beyond.

During the visit of PM Modi to China, there will be a lot of pressure in both countries to make this visit a “breakthrough’ in the bilateral relations. Such a breakthrough is quite possible if India clearly draws the red, amber and green lines of interactions with China, without falling into the binary trap of whether China is an opportunity or a challenge.

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China visit will aid Make in India, bolster peace in Asia: Modi

- by India Writes Network

Ahead of his three-day visit to China next week, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resorted to twitter diplomacy, saying his visit will lay the foundation for developing not only bilateral relations between the two countries, but will also bolster stability in Asia.

“Looking forward to visiting China from 14-16 May to boost friendship between our 2 ancient civilizations and 2 largest developing nations,” wrote the net-savvy prime minister in his twitter post.

“Am certain that my visit to China will strengthen stability, progress and prosperity in Asia,” he added.

Mr Modi’s trip to China promises to be a landmark trip that will buttress his economic agenda in seeking Chinese investment and expertise to build India’s manufacturing and infrastructure.

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Lakhvi innocent? India hits out at Hafiz Saeed

- by India Writes Network

After Jamaat-ud-Dawa Chief Hafiz Saeed called Lashkar-e-Taiba leader and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi an innocent man, India lashed out at Saeed and underlined that his remarks showed the pervasive network of terrorists, prevalent in Pakistan.

“Hafiz Saeed is himself among the dreaded terrorist that the world has already notified. And his clean certificate to Lakhvi, who was the real mastermind behind the 26/11 terror attacks, I think shows the connection and the extensive network of terrorist that pervades Pakistan as a country,” said G. V. L. Narasimha Rao, spokesperson of Bharatiya Janta Party(BJP).

He called his comments rather amateurish and intriguing and said that Hafiz Saeed had absolutely no locus standi, and his recent comments only vindicated that Lakhvi was the mastermind behind that attack.

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